[clue-tech] Qwest DSL

[Bruce Ediger]

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007, Keith Hellman wrote:

> 1. Will they let me (occasionally) ssh into my home server?  Any
> restrictions there?

I've been doing it at least daily for years.  I don't think they care.  No port
blocking, no nothing that I can tell.  I've also run web, FTP, and SMTP servers
for years.  No problems.

I've also got the service that *doesn't* include MSN "support".  I paid a
couple of bucks extra per month for it beginning in 2002 (?), which turned out
to be a good deal.  MSN "support" is a disaster, and universally despised.

> 2. Should I use their modem or purchase another (suggestions on other
> models --- compatibility with Linux is a *major deal*).

I've been using a Cisco 675 - I still have the older protocol, "CAP".
I've never used other than Linux or NetBSD with it.

You do need to lie to them to get telephone tech support.  They only
support XP, and you can't have any routers, hubs, wireless access points
etc etc, otherwise they will blow you off.  Just telnet in to the DSL
modem before you call and then you can short circuit the script they
use.

Also, if you have a DSL problem, call at or after 5pm Denver time:
the script-reading dorks go home at 4:30pm, I  believe, and you'll
stand a good chance of getting someone knowledgeable.

> 3. How is the performance?  I have Comcast (cable) broadband and am
> generally pleased. Qwest "silver" service (what I'm considering) is
> supposed to be about 5x the speed (1.5Mb/s).  Do others using their
> silver service see this type of bandwidth?

I live right at the edge of the wire length they allow, so I have the
slowest service.  According to wget, I see 50+ K/s on large files.  That's
downloading to my basement.  Fetching files from the webserver is far
slower.  The "A" in ADSL stands for "asymmetric", and they mean it.

-- 
Bruce Ediger
720-932-1954
eballen1 at qwest.net